News 12:00

BULLETIN 28 May 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Appeal Court is hearing Ramaphosa’s application against a ruling that nullified King Misuzulu’s recognition
# Zimbabwean motorists are hit with a mandatory radio licence law
# And rugby: Duhan van der Merwe could face the Bulls after a long-time injury

# The Supreme Court of Appeal is today hearing president Cyril Ramaphosa’s challenge of a ruling from the High Court in Pretoria that declared his recognition of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini as Zulu monarch unlawful. The king was traditionally crowned at the Royal Palace in Nongoma in 2022. The ruling followed a legal challenge by Prince Simakade Zulu, who argued the nomination process was flawed. The court also ordered Ramaphosa to establish a committee to investigate the process.

# Union Giwusa has welcomed the extension of the Social Relief of Distress grant. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana announced in his budget speech last Wednesday that the 370-rand-a-month grant will be extended to the end of March next year. Giwusa president, Mametlwe Sebei, says the grant must be transformed into a permanent universal basic income grant of one-thousand-500-rand:

# The Freedom Front Plus says the case which was meant to serve as evidence of a deeply entrenched culture of racism at Stellenbosch University, has ended in the accused being found not guilty. Former student Theuns du Toit, who was charged after urinating on the belongings of a fellow student in 2022, has been acquitted. The FF Plus’s Wynand Boshoff says Du Toit can now move on with his life without being labelled a contemptuous racist:

# Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed a law requiring all motorists to pay over one-thousand-600-rand for an annual radio licence fee before obtaining vehicle insurance. Mnangagwa says the move aims to boost revenue for the struggling state broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. Critics, including opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, have slammed the fee as harsh and anti-citizen, citing economic hardships. The law prohibits insurance sales to motorists without a valid licence or exemption, sparking widespread public backlash.

# Rugby: Edinburgh’s South African-born Scottish winger Duhan van der Merwe is back from a long-time ankle injury and could face the Bulls in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship quarterfinal in Pretoria. He joined his teammates on the plane to South Africa yesterday. Van der Merwe will also represent the British and Irish Lions again this year after travelling with the team to South Africa in 2021. Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt describes him as a world-class player who will bring a wealth of experience to the team.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-92-cents and the euro at 20-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 108-thousand-794-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-323-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-86-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….